Gearshift conversion apparatus



Jan. 5, 1954 M. E. MARTIN- 2,564,761

GEARSHIFT CONVERSION APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1951 s Sheets-$heet 1 Merle E. Martin mmvrm Jan. 5, 1954 M. E. MARTIN 2,664,761

GEARSHIFT CONVERSION APPARATUS Filed March 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5-

MeHe E. Martin Jan. 5, 1954 M. E. MARTIN 2,664,761

GEARSHIFT CONVERSION APPARATUS Filed March 12', 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Merle E. Martin INVENTOR.

BY I w mw Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIfiE;

GEARSHIFT- CONVERSION APPARATUS Merle E. Martin, Greece, Iow

Application March 12, 1951, Serial No. 215,155

' vehicles from vacuumatic shift to a manually operated mechanical shift.

Anobject of the present invention is to provide a gearshift conversion apparatus which can be employed for replacing their corresponding ele ments in the conventional vacuumatic shift mechanism of vehicles such as the Chevrolet, models 1940 through 1948.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gearshift conversion apparatus which eliminates the vacuum cylinder, bellows and protecting housing formerly employed in the Chew rolet. motor vehicles models 1940 to 1948 and to substitute therefor the levers, rod and link to provide a resultant arrangement which can be manuallyoperated to effect shifting of the gears of the conventional transmission of the vehicle.

Still another object of the present: invention resides in the provision of a second lever means which replaces the correspondingelement of the conventional vacuumatic shift. arrangement and wherein the second lever means is provided with an offset. portion. to which the connecting rod is pivotally' connected whereby the swivel and rod can. turn their necessary arcs without strikingthe portions of the. vehicle which are juxtaposed to theshifting means Another object of the present invention is. to

form the connecting rod with a substantially straight and elongated centralnortion having one end terminating in an arouated portion for con: nection to the link; while: the opposite end is ansulated and formed,- with onset po tion for connection with the wivel on the SQQQIACI. lever means: and. whereby the rod will be kept ro rubbin a ainst the lutch. housing of the motor dur ng. sh i nsfthe transm ion and also por mitfree. reciprocation of the brake pedal.

Vari us other objects and advanta es will, be: com apparent ir m the detailed descripti n to follow, The best form in which I have contems plated applying, my invention is clearly illu n treted in t e accompanyin drawings, wherein: Figure l is a perspective, view of the conven tional arrangement now used on vehicles em ploying the vacuuma o shift, su h as the Che rolet, models 1940 to 48;

Fi ure 2. a perspective view similar to E aine 1 but who cm the apparatus of the gearshift on: version hit has been lnce rated into the ve hicle of Figure l, eliminating he aouumatio shift apparatus;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the portions of 7; Glalms- (Cl. M -4'73) 25 the gearshift conversion apparatus disposed on the gearing column;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantiallyalong; the plane of line 4-4.4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the gearshift conversion apparatus and showing the means interconnecting the rod with the second shaft of the gear box; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the sev-., eral elements of the present invention in ex! ploded arrangement.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral [0 designates generally a conventional vacuumatlc. shift arrangement having a vacuum cylinder I2, a bellows I4, pro,- tecting housing [6, vacuum hose l8 and the means all for interconnecting the earshift shaft with the vacuumatic. shift apparatus 10, The conventional elements empl yed and s own in Figure 1 are well known by those skilled in the art and a detailed description thereof may be found in the. pate t t S. McPhers n; Paten No. 2ql2'l'5l779lissued Mar .0, 1942', A mo e detail d description of the con ention l ppa atus is therefore deemed unne essary:

The earshi t nver ion ppara us o the pr sent n ntion is desi nated: g ne a ly by th numeral 2'! and. nclude l nk .4, onnecting rod 26.. and second lever m ns t be mp yed in conjunction with the conventional first lever means 2 Figure 2 shows the assembled relation cfthe gearshift n ersi n appar tus wh e Fi ure 6 shows, the, several elements of th gearshift; cone version apparatus in their assembled forms Figu 5 shows the conventionally empl yed. first lever m ns 32 as omprising a Q-olamp portion;

in be ng bifurcated. at 32 nd. receiving a. bolt 34- therethroush for olampinglv s uri g the first lover m ans 22 to the second shalt 36. of he gear box 38 h v ng he remova e cov r 40. The first le er means 2 has an extens on por ion. 42 which i integrally form d with th -clamp 30, A pair oi elon ated lever lements 44 are s ur d to on posits si s of the extension port on 42 by me ns of the pins 45, the end portions 48 of the lever eleme s 44 b n in spaced parall l at on nd having a ore therethrough for receiving he p nor.

he link; 2 is of arouateo. io m amines s one. portion 52 rotatahlv s ported on the pin .9 with a cotter pin 5 extending through the pin; it to prevent displacement thereof.

The second lever means 28 is best disclosed in Figure 6 as comprising an elongated flat strap having a U-shaped portion 56 bifurcated at 58 and formed with a bore at 60. The bore 60 has a key 62 extending therein whereby the gearshift shaft 64 can be non-rotatably received within the bore 60. The bolt 66 and nut 68 are employed for clampingly urging the two jaws l and 12 together to form a firm grip on the shaft 64. Figures 3 and 4 clearly show the manner in which the bolt 66 and nut 68 are extended through the U-shaped strap portion 56.

The second lever means 23 has an offset portion 14 which includes the extension 16 which is in parallel relation to the U-shaped portion 56 of the fiat strap. The offset portion 14 is also angulated with respect to the U-shaped portion, as will be best seen in Figure 4.

The offset portion is formed with an aperture 18 for receiving the shank 80 of the swivel 82. It will thus be seen that the offset portion I6 provides sufficient clearance for the swivel 82 to pivot to the extent required. The lever means 28 is shorter than the lever previously conventionally employed and the two openings 60 and 18 are disposed in closer relation to each other than in the corresponding lever of the conventional arrangement. Thus, more effective leverage is provided for shifting the gears of the transmission without the aid of the vacuum cylinder. A cotter pin 84 is removably positionable within the bore 85 through the shank 80 and a swivel spring 88 is engaged beneath the cotter pin 8t and about the shank 8G for normally maintaining the swivel head 82 in frictional engagement with the underside of the offset portion 16.

The connecting rod 90 has a threaded end 92 which is removably positionable within the threaded bore 94 of the swivel head 82. The opposite end of the connecting rod 90 has a pin 96 extending laterally therefrom for pivotal connection to the link 24 at 98, the link 24 taking up the lost motion present in the original arrangement.

The connecting rod 96 is formed with a substantially elongated and straight central portion 109 terminating at one end with an arcuated portion l02"to which th pin 96 is integrally attached. The other end of the central portion I00 has an angular portion H34 and an offset portion 166 formed with the externally threaded ends 92. The rod offset portion in a first plane permits use of the offset on the second lever means 28 and yet prevents contact between the rod and the engine. The additional offset in a second endwise direction permits reciprocation of the brake pedal without engagement with the rod 90. The offset at I04 also makes it possible to use the shorter lever means 28.

When it is desired to convert a vehicle from the vacuumatic shift such as shown in Figure l, to the arrangement for mechanical shifting of the gears, the vacuum cylinder :2, hose l3, bellows l4, protecting housing l6, rod 26, second lever means 28', and hose I8 are removed. The second lever means 28 is then fixedly secured to the gearshift shaft 64 and the connecting rod 26 is pivotally connected to the second lever means 28 by means of the swivel 82. The link 24 which is supported by pin and pin 96 of connecting rod 90 at 98, as seen in Figure 5, is then added to the first lever means 22. The closure plug or cork '15, shown in Figure 6, is installed in the open end of the vacuum pipe where hose l8 originally was connected. Shifting of the gears of the transmission may then be effected in the normal manner.

The connection between the rock shaft I I0 and the gearshift shaft 64 is best shown in Figures 2 through 4 and is conventional with Chevrolets of the models 1940 through 1948. A detailed description thereof may be had by reference to the Chevrolet Motor Company parts book as of April 1, 1950, page 166 showing the connection described in the accompanying description.

When the hand grip is moved toward the steering wheel, the gearshift shaft 64 is moved upwardly along with second lever means 28, thereby also lifting lever C. Upon pivoting of the gearshift shaft, it will be seen that rod 9| can be reciprocated for pivoting lever H! and shaft H0.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that a device has been provided which will accomplish all of the objects hereinabove set forth.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

l. A gear shift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means connected to the second shaft, the apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and an arcuate link interconnecting the other end of said rod and said first lever means.

2. A gear shift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means for connection to the second shaft, said apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and a link interconnecting the other end of said rod and said first lever means, said rod having a substantially straight and elongated central portion terminating at one end in an arcuated portion for connection to said link.

3. A gearshift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means for connection to the second shaft, said apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and a link interconnecting the other end of said rod and said first lever means, said rod having a substantially straight and elongated central portion terminating at one end in an arcuated portion for connection to said link, and the other end of said rod having a first angular portion and a second offset portion parallel to said central portion.

4. A gearshift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means for connection to the second shaft, said first lever means including a C-clamp portion for connection to the second shaft, and an extension to which a link is pivotally connected, said apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and a link interconnecting the other end of said rod and the extension on said first lever means.

5. A gearshift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means for connection to the second shaft, said apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and a link interconnecting the other end of said rod and said first lever means, said second lever means including a flat strap having a bifurcated U-shaped portion for receiving the gearshift shaft.

6. A gearshift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means for connection to the second shaft, said apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and a link interconnecting the other end of said rod and said first lever means, said second lever means including a flat strap having a bifurcated U-shaped portion for receiving the gearshift shaft, and means for clampingly securing said second lever means to the shift shaft.

'7. A gearshift conversion apparatus for vehicles employing vacuumatic shifting means having a rock shaft, a second shaft and a first lever means for connection to the second shaft, said apparatus comprising a second lever means connected to the shift shaft of the vehicle, an angulated rod having one end pivotally connected to said second lever means, and a link interconnecting the other end of said rod and said first lever means, said second lever means including a fiat strap having a bifurcated U-shaped portion for receiving the gearshift shaft, said flat strap having an offset portion for rotatably supporting said rod.

MERLE E. MARTIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

